Mandalay I love banane peze with pikliz. My friend showed me how to make it while I was in Haiti. How do you call the utensil used to flatten the plantain? Do you have any idea where I can buy it?

Yum yum!

It’s called pèz bannann in Haitian Creole.

Haitians are not the only one who makes bannann peze. Google tostonera or even plantain smasher, and you will find it online.

Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words

What are some phrases or songs or rhymes that teachers use to get the attention of children in a group? I know in English we use phrases like "1-2-3 all eyes on me!" and the children respond "1-2 eyes on you!". Are there any that you know of? Thank you!

There are no phrases or rhymes that we use in that sense, that I know of (in Creole).

There's one is French where you start singing, "Un petit silence s'il vous plait, il faut ecouter." and then all the kids yell out "Silence!!!" This little rhyme is translated as "A little silence please, you must listen. Silence!!!"

But if you wanted to divert their attention by giving them a riddle, you'll say 'Krik?!" and they'll answer 'Krak!!!"
or you'll say "Tim Tim?!" they'll answer "Bwa sèch!!"
They'll be expecting a riddle after that :)


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Are there any good grammar books of the Haitian Creole language, and good dictionaries that you would recommend? Could you mention some names of good grammarians that we can trust to learn about modern Haitian Creole grammar? By the way, thank you very much for all the articles, they are a source of help for all those learning Haitian Creole! Keep your good work. Thank you.

The best and most complete 'grammar' book would be Ann pale kreyòl by Albert Valdman (with the audio CDs). It's a little bit pricey, but worth it.
The best dictionary so far is the one by Féquière Vilsaint.

Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words

How do you say- "it was worth it"

It was worth it - Sa te vo lapenn.
It's not worth it (not worth the trouble) - Sa pa vo lapenn.
Was it worth it - Eske sa te vo lapenn.



Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words

How do you speak the years in Kreyol, for example 1776? Is it disèt swasanndis sis, or do you have to use mil somewhere? What about 2015?

We use mil....

1776 - mil sèt san swasannsèz
2015 - de mil kenz
2010 - de mil dis
1500 - mil senk san

Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words

Ki sa "pou ti krik ti krak" vle di ? Men fraz m te wè a : "Li te konn fache pou ti krik ti krak." Kòman ou t ap tradui sa ?

pou ti krik ti krak - for no useful reason, for any reason at all

Li te konn fache pou ti krik ti krak - He/She used to get angry for no reason at all.

Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words

Why do you say "sa pa gade m sa"? can I just say "sa pa gade m" without the 'sa' at the end?

Yes you can.

Sa pa gade m sa
or
Sa pa gade m.
I don't care.

Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words

Hi Mandaly, can you tell me if these two Haitian proverbs mean the same thing: “Bef a bout ke se bondye ki pouse mouch pou li” and “se met ko ki veye ko”? thanks

Hi.

No, these proverbs have different meaning. They’re not the same.

“Bèf bout ke se Bondye ki pouse mouch pou li” means something like God helps people that have deficiencies or limitations.

The second proverb “Se mèt kò ki veye kò” means You watch out for own self. Don’t expect others to care for your well being.  This proverb is in the same category as another Haitian Creole proverb Chak koukouy klere pou je yo Each person looks out for his own interest

Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words

What does this mean in English? poukisa ou vle efase r la

Poukisa ou vle efase r la? - Why do you want to erase/remove the letter 'r'?

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Bonjou Mandaly, Toudabò, mèsi anpil pou blog ou! Blog ou ap ede m’ anpil anpil pandan mwen ap aprann krèyol. Men, mwen gen yon keyson .....

You said:

"Bonjou Mandaly, 
Toudabò, mèsi anpil
pou blog ou! Blog ou ap ede m’ anpil anpil pandan mwen ap aprann krèyol. Men,
mwen gen yon keyson pou w. Mwen konnen ou pa itilize mo a « nan » ak mo yo kòm
«lakay » e « lekòl » paske mo a gen yon « la » ou byen « le » nan yo. Poukisa ou
pa itilize nan sitiyason sa yo ? Mwen panse mwen konfonn ak ki jan ou itilize
prepozisyon yo lè ou vle di «at, to, in »? Si ou ka eksplike sa a pou mwen, mwen
pral anpil kontan. Mèsi anpil ! P.S. Mwen regrèt pou gramè mwen. Mwen ap aprann
krèyol pou sèlman kèk semèn. Si ou te resevwa keyson sa a, souplè ban m’ yon 
lyen pou yon repons. Mèsi!"

Mandaly says:

Bonjou zanmi!

For someone who's been learning Creole for just a few weeks, you're doing amazingly well. I encourage you to continue learning Creole. I hope to hear from you again ... in Creole :)

Here are a few links of posts with explanations of how to translate sentences from English to H. Creole, when they have the prepositions “at, to, in”:

http://sweetcoconuts.blogspot.com/2011/06/prepositions-at-to-on-in.html

http://sweetcoconuts.blogspot.com/2011/11/nou-te-ale-nan-konse-ye-nou-ale-lekol.html

http://sweetcoconuts.blogspot.com/2011/10/nan.html

http://sweetcoconuts.blogspot.com/2014/01/to-as-in-destination-i-am-walking-to-my.html

http://sweetcoconuts.blogspot.com/2011/12/i-see-that-sometimes-word-is-translated.html

Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words

Mandaly, There is a H.Creole phrase that describes something building up a little at a time or slowly happening over time that sounds like "Au fe y a mezi". Do you know it? And what is its origin?

Hi, it's from the French expression au fur et à mesure which means gradually.

Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words

what does "na repale" mean? It is not in any book or translate tool.

repale - to talk again.

N a repale. - We'll talk again.

Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words

Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words

Hey Mandie, would the word "nan-nan" be a good term to translate "...the central theme"? I see that Haitians use it mainly to talk about food.

Do you mean nannan? 

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Mwen pral fe yon kout bravoute,depi 15 ans mwen renmen li. Mwen ekri anpl poem pou li.Mwen pral file on dame.yo di tout brav nan simitye. Mwen pral fe yon kout Capois Lamort. Mwen vle ekri li nan blog sa pou l ka we li. Eske ou kapab pibliye poem mwen?

Bonjou zanmi, mwen resevwa kesyon ou plizyè fwa , men mwen pa te resevwa powèm ou an. Sanble ou vle fè yon deklarayon piblik pou yon fanm. 

Kenz (15) an se pa de (2) jou. Si w ap file yon fanm, file l pou w fini ak sa! M pa kwè medam yo renmen gason ki pa gen aksyon sou yo. 

Selon sa m konprann, ou toujou ekri powèm pou li, men ou poko janm file l dirèkteman?

Premyèman, file yon fanm pa gen kesyon brav ladan l. Sèlsi ta genyen yon obstak kòmkwa fanmi l pa ta dakò, pa gen “Kapwa Lamò” nan koze konsa.  

Mwen swete w bòn chans :)

Haitian Creole ↔ English Reference, Look up Haitian Creole and English Words